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A freight train shipping company is in the business of transporting goods from one place to another through the plane, truck, ship, or train. Reasons for freight shipping may be either for personal or business purposes. Whatever one’s specific needs may be, a freight shipping company can accommodate it with one of its service offerings.

A freight shipping company is in this business because it is known and assumed an expert in the field of shipping. It is a given that it is familiar with the import rules and policies of foreign countries. Additionally, there is documentation required for shipping, and the methods on how to go about it. A freight shipping company can also coordinate with customs brokers overseas to make sure that the goods they will be shipping will comply with customs export documentation regulations. These customs brokers may be individuals or firms that have been licensed to do business with the customs office. Customs concern itself with the entry and classification of goods. They also handle payment of taxes and duties, and other charges as deemed to be due and collectible.

A legitimate freight shipping company is licensed by the International Air Transport Association (IATA) and the Federal Maritime Commission. These licenses are given so that they will be able to officially handle airfreight and ocean freight respectively.

Shipping with a Freight Train

A freight shipping company also assists businesses, especially if such usually require frequent shipments to other foreign countries. Assistance may be in the form of giving advises on the freight costs, consular fees, insurance cost, their handling fees, port charges and the like.

The issue on packing can also be addressed by a freight shipping company. Its staff can assist in recommending the appropriate packing methods that will ensure the goods will be safe in transit. One must note that in shipping goods, there is usually a transfer from one mode of transport to the other. Additionally, these transfer conditions at each point may not be as ideal as one might think. It is thus safer to get the packing right, and you can do this well by asking for the advise of the freight shipping company you have hired the services of.

To help reduce the amount of time it takes to load and unload freight hauled by train, the use of piggybacks is common. This concept involves placing a semi trailer on the back of a flatbed railcar. Once the freighttrain has reached its destination the semi trailer is removed with heavy equipment and it is ready for a semi truck to hook up to and take it to the final destination.

A freight shipping company offers services that answer one’s needs to transfer his goods from one destination to another. Whether we avail of these freight services for personal purposes, or for complying with the delivery commitments to our customers on the far side of our place, these freight shipping companies have, in no question, made our personal and business lives efficient, and definitely a lot easier.

If you have a child that will be going off to college, the separation can be quite a stressful. It would be unthinkable not to see them for long period of time. The mere thought of letting them fend off for themselves can be depressing. Chances are, you would want them to bring along their car. This way they are able to get around in their new environment. However, it is also nerve racking to let them drive for thousands of miles on their own. Cross-country driving can simply be a little too much for most college students. Instead, consider another option: auto transport.

Well, you don’t have to fret that much. There is no known remedy for jitters you’re experiencing for sending your child away to attend college. But, there is, however, a great solution to avoid having them drive for thousands of miles alone. Car auto shipping has been a popular alternative for most people who want to transport their car from one place to another with minimum fuss. Whether for family vacations, long business trips or relocation to another place, car auto shipping is a welcome option to the grueling cross-country drive.

The college tuition can cause a considerable dent in your savings; you would naturally want to save unnecessary expense on car auto shipping. You can have the best of both worlds if you are meticulous enough to look for a reputable car auto shipping company that offers a competitive package rates.

Benefits of Auto Transport

When choosing among a number of car auto shipping companies, do not only concentrate on the rates they offer but more importantly their reputation in the industry. It would be best to rely on a car auto company that has been in the industry for a number of years. It was also be great to work with a company with little or no complaints at all. Companies that have high rates of repeat clients would only mean that their services have satisfied their customers. You should also compare the insurance coverage the companies offer. Then determine which company offers the most responsibility and liability against damages during the handling of the automobile.

There are some companies that offer not only car shipments but also in transportation of merchandise and furniture. It would be much better to stick to a company that solely concentrate on car auto shipping since there are certainly different approaches in handling cars than any other shipment. If you don’t have time to personally check all the companies, you can seek the help of a shipping broker. This is also a viable option since they know the best shipping companies in the industry and you could probably save money in the long run. Most shipping companies would never give discounts to private individuals, but only to some of their loyal patrons. Shipping brokers who have been operating for years are likely to have more contacts and can give you a more reasonable price.

Pallet trucks are best known for moving pallets from one place to another. Pallets are wooden planks used to ship and carry cargo. When it comes to pallet trucks, there’s are many different styles available: low-profile, scale (for weighing the load), big-wheeler (for uneven floors and heavy loads), specialty (made of zinc or stainless steel for unsanitary environments), wheel-nose (for placing pallets closely in a row), ergonomic (for ease of operation), economic, “Freight Saver,” all-terrain (for any kind of terrain), foldable manual (light-duty trucks especially beneficial for going down narrow aisles, through doorways, or around tight corners), electric (with AC drive motor, battery pack, and regenerative braking system), and so on.

These trucks make transportation of pallets easier and also ease loading and unloading while ensuring utmost safety. Most pallet trucks can move loads of around 4,000 lbs. Pallet trucks can effectively minimize time of transport. While the pallets can be rather heavy, these trucks need to be very functional and solid. These trucks are typically used in industries like warehouses, pharmaceutical factories, food storage services, retail stores, and much more.

Overall, pallet trucks are designed to fit all kinds of environments and terrains, including highly corrosive and unsanitary conditions. Some pallet trucks are being made from zinc, and stainless steel, and some are chrome coated and galvanized to resist even highly moist atmosphere like pharmaceutical and chemical factories. These are suitable for clean room, laboratory, wash down, and corrosive material handling applications.

Use & Reliability

Additionally, these trucks also have adjustable push rods, a wide turning radius, skin adaptors, and integral scales. There are some highly advanced pallet trucks that even contain a printer, LCD display, and a keypad with automatic tare functions that works on rechargeable batteries.

While many companies prefer to purchase new trucks, used pallet trucks are also available. They can be ordered and bought online at exclusive manufacturer websites. Without trucks, transportation would be very difficult for many manufacturers across multiple industries.

Pallets are similar to shipping containers. Shipping containers are generally classified into two groups: general purpose or dry cargo container. These are built strong and is weatherproof. One of its sidewalls or most commonly the end walls would have doors. An additional group would be the special cargo containers. Such would be the tank containers, which are used for transporting chemicals, and the thermal containers that are used for goods as meat, fruits, etc—those that are perishable.

Freight containers are standardized shipping containers. Shipping containers have standard dimensions, typically 20’x8’x8.5′ or 40’x8’x8.5′ or 45’x8’x9.5′. They have to be constructed to certain minimum standards of sturdiness to withstand the rigors of long ocean voyages and transfer from one mode of transport to another. Shipping containers meeting the standards can get CSC – Convention for Safe Containers – certification, a must for use in international shipping.

Specialized trucks, railcars and handling equipment have been designed to accommodate these standard sized containers. The containers fit neatly into these vehicles (as well ships’ cargo holds) and the handling equipment can easily transfer the containers from trucks to railcars to ships and in the reverse direction. The freight containers themselves might have forklift pockets (typically available only for 20′ or shorter containers) that facilitate forklift handling.

Standardized freight containers enhanced the speed and efficiency of cargo movement, and expanded world trade. The easy and quick transshipment of the containers from one mode of transport to another – inter-modal transport – is the main factor that makes the efficiency possible. The multi-modal transport facility also enables carrying goods across terrains like water, rail track, road and air to get from origin to destination without any disruption.

Freight Containers and Security

Freight containers are designed in a vandal proof manner. They also typically incorporate sturdy locking in the form of one double door that is secured by four locking bars extending to the whole height of the container. The locking bars have additional lockable handles that can be secured by padlocks and sealed.

Packing and locking the whole container at the shipper’s premises and thereafter opening it only at the consignee’s premises can further increase security. Any required customs inspection and certification are done at the shipper’s and consignee’s premises.

Considering the security, container-based shipments incur less expense for insurance against theft, pilferage and damage.

Packing Freight Containers

Cartons can come in different odd sizes, and the internal dimensions of containers are less than the outer dimensions. Hence dividing the outer volume of the containers into the carton volumes will not give a correct idea of the number of cartons the container can carry. For example, dividing the outer volume of a 20’x8’x8.5′ container (1360 cubic feet) into the volume of a 1.5’x1’x1′ carton (1.5 cubit feet) might give the misleading idea that we can pack 906 cartons into the container.

The standard internal dimensions of a 20-foot container is about 19.35’x7.71’x7.83′ giving an internal volume of 1168 cubic feet. Dividing this volume into the carton volume of 1.5 cubic feet gives the number 778. Even this figure is wrong because the size of the carton is an odd one.

If you stack the cartons lengthwise across the container length of 19.35′, you can accommodate a maximum of 12 rows. A maximum of 7 rows of such 12-row cartons can be accommodated along with width of the container. This gives 84 cartons per layer. 7 such layers can be stacked along the height of the container accommodating a grand total of only 588 cartons.

That leaves a lot wasted space. So you change the arrangement. Cartons are arranged lengthwise across the width of the container. That accommodates 5 cartons across the width. 19 such 5-rows can be accommodated across the container length, accommodating 95 cartons per layer. The number of layers remains the same at 7. So, the total number of cartons that can be packed this way is 665, significantly more than the last arrangement. Even now, there is wasted space that cannot be avoided considering the misfit between carton volume and container volume.

Armored trucks are known for carrying large amounts of valuable property and currency to and from bank locations around the U.S. To heighten safety measures, armored truck companies are now installing security cameras within these trucks that are required to travel long distances. Security cameras are also being installed on the exterior of the trucks. Many times the security cameras are so small they go unnoticeable. Companies are no longer willing to take the risk of anything happening to the guards traveling in these armored trucks. They also don’t want to take the risk of losing the contents inside.

As armored trucks travel from one financial institution to another, they are monitored by technicians in a remote location. Using the security cameras, these companies can watch the trucks as they are parked at casinos and other establishments. Camera placement is always different depending on the truck, and often the drivers are even unaware of its placement.

The trucks are constantly monitored until they reach their final destination. In doing this, it protects the safety of the drivers and the cargo. In addition to the cameras, armored trucks also have tracking devices that allows their location to be pinpointed at all times. The installation for these security features is typically easy—and same with their removal.

The Safety of Armored Trucks

The cost of these security systems can be high, but the cost of not having them installed would be must higher. The primary costs come from the need to pay technicians to monitor the cameras at all times. With these new security camera systems on board, armored truck companies truly believe it will fend off those who are intending to attempt any kind of theft or robbery. Often times, the attempt causes loss of life to the driver or guard on duty. Then, the one trying to rob the truck is unharmed. If potential robbers can see the security cameras on the outside of the truck, they may stay away.

Carrying large amounts of currency and cargo is an important task. It’s also a task that can be quite dangerous for all those involved. With increased security measures, like cameras, this potential danger is decreased. While a security camera cannot fully protect those working on the truck, it can bring justice to bad situations. Let’s say a robbery did take place on an armored truck. Without a camera system, the robbery may go unnoticed for a lengthy period of time. With a camera system, technicians are immediately able to notify local authorities of the situation.

To learn more about armored trucks and other similar vehicles, visit GardaWorld, who is a leader in armored truck transport. According to their website, GardaWorld “puts the largest fleet of armored vehicles in the industry to work for you keeping your cash valuables safe. Our armored trucks are operated by reliable highly trained armed security personnel and monitored in real time via our operations centers. We’ve also invested in new energy-efficient armored trucks to reduce your costs and our environmental footprint.”

You could think of importing and exporting as the basis of trade – humanity wouldn’t be where it is if we didn’t figure out a way to get goods from one part of the globe to another in a short amount of time.

If you’re looking to do some serious imports (and exports) yourself, you probably don’t have the time to sit behind a wheel for 12 hours a day or more, which is why you’ll want to do business with a freight company that specializes in shipping to, from and across the United States.

There’s plenty of these out there – after all, all it takes is a truck, a driver’s and import license and some extra time. Yet the service one company provides can be a far cry from that of another, so you’d do well to familiarize yourself with the biggest players in the biz and seeing which one of them suits your needs best.

Here’s an overview of some of our top freight companies and what they offer to different individuals and organizations.

Freight companies in the United States

XPO Logistics: A big player in the field, XPO does it all, from freight brokerage to supply chain maintenance to global delivery. The last part will be very important for some business owners – not many freight companies are able to offer transportation on the same level that XPO does while boasting a global reach. If you find yourself needing to ship goods to Europe or Asia, XPO is a company you’ll definitely want to look at if not outright choose. Yet another perk of doing business with XPO is that they offer full tracking for every package they transport, letting you know exactly where your goods are and when you can expect their arrival.

J.B. Hunt: One of our best freight companies, J.B. Hunt specializes in transportation around the U.S., Canada and Mexico. While their choice of covered areas can seem limited, their service is anything but: truckload, flatbed and refrigeration transports are just some examples of what J.B. excels at. Depending on what you need, the company can offer to transport your goods via truck, train or ship, each tailored specifically to the type of cargo being ferried. As would be expected from such an enterprise, XPO offers full package tracking no matter where you’re shipping, eliminating any worry you could have about the present location of your goods (not that you should be worrying much when doing business with such a respectable company).

The Reliance Network: Another huge freight company, The Reliance Network consists of six different freight companies (Averitt, Mountain Valley Express, PITT OHIO, LME, Peninsula Truck Lines and Canadian Freightways Kingway) brought together to provide quality transportation throughout North America and Latin America as well as the rest of the world. Each of the six companies is renowned for their dedication and is highly unlikely to let you down regardless of the size of your business. Aside from a superb customer service, TRN is also notable for handling the transportation for some giant multi-national enterprises like Toshiba and doing a great job of it while remaining a great choice for smaller businesses who need to ship or receive goods from afar.

While expensive, 18-wheeler trucks can be a great investment – the transportation business isn’t going anywhere, and there’s never any shortage of demand for quality freight services.

Of course, a big part of every trade is having the right tools for the job, and transportation services are no different. Well, there’s only one tool needed, but it’s a big one – the menacing and powerful king of the road known as the 18-wheeler trucks.

To help you get a good deal on one of these trucks, we’ve rounded up some places online that let you get a premium on these beasts without sacrificing quality or reliability.

Deals on 18-wheeler trucks

www.18wheelertruckandtrailer.com and www.truckpaper.com: Straightforward website names hide some terrific deals on all sorts of used trucks and trailers. What’s great about these sites (different layouts but same deals) is their no-nonsense approach: there’s a clear price tag on every vehicle and accessory they’re selling, so you’ll immediately know whether what you’re looking at fits your budget.

The prices are fairly varied, ranging from $15,000 for older models all the way to $150,000 for the newest and most powerful ones. Expensive, yes, but keep in mind that these trucks aren’t some shabby broken-down pieces of metal that will be lucky to have a couple more runs in them – many of them are almost as good as those fresh out of a store.

Other than trucks themselves, the sites also feature plenty of trailers and similar accessories for transporting oil, lumber, frozen goods or anything else you could think of. As is the case with 18-wheeler trucks, the accessories are reasonably-priced and in great shape, making the sites worth checking for all your trucking needs. There’s also a credit application form that helps you get the financing you need to achieve your dreams of becoming a big rig driver.

www.50000trucks.com: While your first thought upon seeing this site is probably “There’s no way these guys have 50,000 trucks on sale!”, you might find yourself reconsidering as soon as you go through their inventory.

With twenty-some brands for trucks and trailers each, you’ll have no trouble finding a truck or trailer that has your name on it. The sheer amount of brands featured is impressive enough already, but wait ’til you realize that some of them feature over 200 trucks in mint condition and at affordable prices. Like on the sites above, 50000Trucks.com vehicles are as varied as they can be. Some are from the early 90s, others are as new as 2015 – some are better suited for light transportation while others can ferry multi-ton cargo without breaking a sweat.

Also like on the previous sites, 50000Trucks.com features detailed information on virtually every truck on sale so that you can have a great idea of what you’re looking at without even having to dial the appropriate number. When you aren’t looking for entire trucks, the site is also a great stop to find truck and trailer parts, including some of the more obscure ones – if what you’re looking for isn’t listed, there’s a request form that should get you whatever’s necessary to make your truck shine in no time.

As a country with one of the strongest industries in the world, the U.S. has no shortage of manufacturers big and small – with their ultra-luxurious products that only the privileged can afford, limousine manufacturers certainly fall into the ‘big’ category.

If you’re gunning for a fancy limousine, be it for personal or professional use, your first step should be familiarizing yourself with some of the States’ top limousine manufacturers and what they offer to their customers. Not satisfied with the companies on this list? No problem – there’s plenty more to choose from, although you’ll have to do your own research.

Top Limousine Manufacturers

Some examples of top american limo brands include:

Cadillac: One of our most exclusive limousine manufacturers, Caddy has no shortage of limousines fitting different needs – from stretchers to CUVs, you’ll have no trouble finding something to your fancy. If you’re buying new, you’ll be looking at around $70,000-$90,000 for an Escalade SUV to well over $100,000 for a 70″ XTS stretch limo. Not exactly a cheap ride, but what else could one expect to pay for a premium limo?

Every Cadillac limo comes in around a dozen different packages that can alter the price by as much as $20,000. Escalades mainly differ in terms of engine drive (2WD or 4WD), with the rest of the packages offering anything from color displays to improved theft locks.

As for the company’s stretch limo models, you can choose to have them equipped with various extravagant features like multiple variations of improved lighting, beverage coolers, ‘command center’ controls in either the front or the rear and so forth, while examples of functional upgrades can include better brakes or improved heating and air conditioning.

Whichever model and package you choose, you aren’t likely to regret going for the tried-and-true Caddy luxury.

Chrysler: Another prestigious U.S. automobile manufacturer, Chrysler lacks a luxury CUV on Escalade’s level but compensates by having one of the best stretch limousines on the market in the many variations of its 300 model.

For a personal vehicle or single-passenger transportation, you can opt for the standard 300 sedan in one of its many packages: the performance-oriented 300S, the all-around 300C or the premium 300C Platinum. For a new non-stretch 300, you’ll be paying somewhere between $30,000-$40,000 depending on the model and the packages you choose – 18-20″ inch wheels, steering wheel heating and shift control, heated backseats and more.

If you’re looking to get a ‘proper’ executive limo, you can go for a 300 stretched by either 70″ or 120″ with all the luxurious perks that these types of cars provide. Most of these are ordered custom based on the packages you’d prefer (transmission type, lighting, LCD screens, sound systems, rims and tires, heating…), although you can find a used one in great condition for as little as $70,000.

Plenty of foreign brands also manufacture their limos in the U.S. – Audi, BMW, Mercedes-Benz and so forth, and you can always choose to opt for one of these instead. However, many find that there’s something about All-American limos making them more luxurious than their European and Japanese counterparts. After all, if it’s good for the President, it’s good for us, right?

Are you starting a tree service company or are just looking to fill your tool shed with some useful items that will let you take care of your trees regularly? Tree service equipment is pretty straightforward, but it still pays to know the best manufacturer of each tool so that you don’t experience any malfunctions or let-downs when the going gets tough.

Tree Service Equipment Companies

Shears, prunes and scissors: If you’re looking for a perfect blend of professional and affordable, you might want to consider Fiskars as your company of choice. Their inventory of manual tree service tools and accessories is impressive: from quality bypass pruners for as little as $10 to powerful shears from $20 onwards to $40 stick pruners that let you reach those tall troubled branches without issues, Fiskars never seems to run out of top-notch pruning equipment.

Of course, you need one of these…

If you’re a tree service professional, you’ll want to focus on the pro versions of their tools (which are still affordable however you look at it): $30 for professional pruners and $80 for specialized manual saws hardly seems like a huge expense.

Fiskars also sells sets of tree service equipment that are geared towards the average individual with average needs who doesn’t want to go through the hassle of finding out exactly what tools are necessary for proper pruning. Their sets go from around $150 and generally include a pruner, an all-around saw and some sticks to cut the far-out branches down. As mentioned, if you’re a professional, you’ll definitely want to handpick each tool to get the most out of your trade.

Chainaws: Can’t leave home without a quality saw if you’re a tree service contractor (except for, you know, whenever you’re not on the job). There are multiple chainsaws every professional should have in their inventory depending on the type of tree they’re cutting down, although the battle of the brands generally comes down to Stihl and Husqvarna.

For an all-purpose pro chainsaw, you’ll want to look at the $600 Husqvarna 500 XP that will cut down even the most menacing trees with ease – there’s also the more affordable yet still ultra-powerful Stihl MS 251 going for around $400 brand-new. For specialized chainsaws, consider the maintenance-oriented Stihl MS 193 with a short ‘surgery’ blade priced at around $350 and also a mechanical pole pruner like Stihl’s HT 101 that can go for as much as $600.

The tools listed above should form the basis of your tree service equipment, although there’s one more ‘tool’ to consider for those looking for a full kit…

Stump grinder: Once you’ve chopped those trees down, your customers will probably want you to do away with the stumps as well. To accomplish this difficult task, you’ll need an expensive and powerful stump grinder machine.

The prices of these can vary, although you can generally count on them being the most expensive purchase your company makes – anywhere from $1,500 for a push model like DR’s Premier all the way to $15,000 for something like Carlton’s self-propelled monster, the 4012.